It's the persecuted ones that will find the light

Yglesias, quoting Daniel Levy, comments on how, despite the growing recognition that the status quo in Israel is untenable, there is a total unwillingness to actually take any action to change the course of history and move toward peace with the Palestinians by, you know, actually doing something different.

But then Matt proceeds to touch on the issue that constantly frustrates me (I was even thinking about it over the weekend), to wit, the recognition among the majority of American Jewry that a two-state solution is absolutely necessary, but the fact that criticism of Israeli policy that doesn't work toward that end is impermissible. The best example of this on a almost daily basis is Jeffrey Goldberg, who is constantly having things both ways. Fundamentally, he knows what needs to be done. But don't say it (unless you are Jeffrey), because then you are the next Stephen Walt. That's not completely a criticism; I get that he's actually trying to sort it out, and I appreciate that he's motivated (I hope) by good faith, unlike many others. But it doesn't leave much room for anyone else to sort, and it doesn't help anyone get to a solution, either.

UPDATE: Heh. Goldberg plays whack-a-mole with Stephen Walt again today.

Don't take this as support for Walt. It's not. But I find these words from Goldberg somewhat ironic, given the ease with which he plays the other side:

Slipshod, even malicious, renderings of history are par for Walt's course, and I'm glad that John Judis has taken the time to point out this particular calumny. But I feel for John Judis. I've only met him a couple of times, but suffice it to say, he's not Marty Peretz when it comes to questions about Israel. But now he'll be accused of being part of the Israel Lobby by Stephen Walt, because Stephen Walt's definition of an Israel lobbyist is anyone who criticizes Stephen Walt.

[Emphasis mine.]